April 8th last day for Windows XP, anyone still using it.

[John of PA]

I'm curious if anyone is still using Windows XP and if so, do you plan to use it after April 8th, when Microsoft stops supporting it. I still use it and will be buying a new computer, but not until after April 15th.

[Burke]

It will still be usable, just not supported. I have an old computer with certain programs on it and I plan to use it until it dies. Any new computer will have Windows 8.

[JohnH]

I'm switching everything to MAC.
I've grown of fussing around with Microsoft and their nonsense.

[Gene V]

Just switch to Window 7 Professional, the computer came with a disk to upgrade to window 8, plan on sticking with window 7.

[Koss]

Windows XP

We have a couple machines that are still running XP. After tax season, we will transition to Win 7 Pro.

But we are not using those machines to do income tax returns, and we may take some extra security measures until we complete the transition.

End of support, as noted, does not mean that the PC will stop working. But Microsoft will no longer provide any security updates or patches. So if you continue using XP for any serious length of time beyond April 8, the computer will be more vulnerable to exploitation than anything running a currently operating system.

MS Office 2003 is also reaching the end of support.

BMK

[taxea]

MS is not offering any updates or support after that date. The OS is still a good OS. For those of you who are planning on getting a new computer I wouldn't recommend Win 8. HP has gone back to installing Win 7 and I am sticking with that. I won't purchase a computer that doesn't, at least, offer Win 7 as an alternative which narrows the ability to purchase from a storefront. Best Buy business area was the only place I could find computers with WP when Vista was being preinstalled in most computers. I am sticking with HP-which the ones I bought, at the time, just happened to be.

[Justataxguy]

I have found

that 8 isn't as evil as it's made out to be. I purchased a HP with 8 in early January, upgraded to 8.1, fixed my settings so it boots to my desktop and I love it! If you must have the "Start" button, get Classic Shell. I haven't tried that but don't see the need. My desktop computer I used for tax prep was XP and I wanted to upgrade before season. Went to the computer store looking to buy something with 7, but after a demonstration of 8, decided to try it. It only took a couple days to get used to it. Give it a try!

[appelman]

Yes and Yes.

You betcha! A third of all Wintel machines are currently running XP, another 50% run Windows 7, and the rest are scattered all over the landscape.

[ATSMAN]

XP will not fade away so quickly. A majority of the ATM machines use Windows XP as their operating system.

While there will be no more updates from Microsoft, Antivirus makes have yet to say that they will stop supporting XP.

I am keeping my trusted old XP machine with old tax software alive, but NOT connected to the internet.

[Bees Knees]

I still have one of my computers running Windows 2000. Still works, no problems. Its running an older Peachtree DOS version for Windows that's probably about 15 years old. The machine actually has a 5¼ inch floppy drive that still works (back when floppy disks were actually floppy).

The only problem you will have with a computer running XP, or 2000, or NT, or 98, or 95 or DOS is if you try to browse the Internet, or try running software that needs an update. Keep the older machines for your older software that doesn't need updating and buy a new machine for the Internet.

[sandigi]

I love xp

I have XP and love it. Also, use Excel from MS Office 2000. All my work sheets and client tax prep files and books are in Excel and I hate the thought of switching. For a while I used an XL newer version (I think 2006) in my church's office, and I couldn't click my way through that XL program fast enough to do anything. It has way too many bells and whistles that you must ring first to program and save a worksheet.

Asked Drake software last week about XP and the girl I spoke with said lots (or did she say "most") of their computers are XP. Even my computer guy said stick with XP as long as I can. Then he took a big breath and said "maybe Microsoft will come out with a better operating system by then."

Someone else on this thread said the virus programs should protect us for a while. Maybe I'll talk with the people at Avast after tax d-day.

Thanks to everyone on here for all your wonderful input.

[taxea]

update

got this in an email today...thought it was appropriate to this post

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2105765/3-ways-to-get-a-new-windows-7-pc-in-the-windows-8-era.html#tk.rss_all

[Black Bart]

I was going to run XP (loved it) this time, but tech check said ATX's mandated update made it not worth staying with ol' Betsy. Instead, bought a refurbished OptiPlex W7 Pro from Dell ($308) and so far- so good (have gone the whole season with it). They've got scads and a wide selection, but high-mem models go very fast (lost a really good deal waiting over the weekend), so you have to be quick.